Database system and method for organizing and sharing information

Abstract

A database stores records of resources that include web pages and web-accessed files, electronic files, and hardcopy documents. The URL of a web page or web-accessed file, the file access path of an electronic file, and the location of a hardcopy document are stored in the records. The records can be created by a user. The user can store an Internet link record when the user is browsing the web page or reviewing the web-accessed file. The user can store an electronic file record when the user is exploring files. The user can enter descriptions and notes that associate with the records. The resources can be organized into categories and sub-categories. For example, certain web pages and web-accessed files, electronic files, and hardcopy documents that cover the same subject can be grouped into one category. The records, including the descriptions and notes of the records, can be shared by other users that have access to the same database.

1 . A method of organizing and sharing Internet links, electronic files and hardcopy documents, the method comprising: 
 enabling a user to enter comments about an Internet link;    storing the entered comments about the Internet link and a URL of the Internet link in an Internet link record in a database;    associating the Internet link record with a category or an item;    enabling the user to enter comments about an electronic file;    storing the entered comments about the electronic file and a file access path of the electronic file in an electronic file record in the database;    associating the electronic file record with a category or an item;    enabling the user to enter comments about a hardcopy document;    storing the entered comments about the hardcopy document and a location of the hardcopy document in a hardcopy document record in the database;    associating the hardcopy document record with a category or an item; and    making the Internet link record, the electronic file record, and the hardcopy document record accessible to other users that use the database,    wherein the Internet link record, the electronic file record, and the hardcopy document record can be associated with a same category or a same item.    
   
   
       2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein enabling a user to enter comments about an Internet link comprises enabling the user to enter a summary in a description filed of the Internet link record, and enabling the user to enter other comments in a notes field of the Internet link record.  
   
   
       3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein enabling a user to enter comments about an electronic file comprises enabling the user to enter a summary in a description filed of the electronic file record, and enabling the user to enter other comments in a notes field of the electronic file record.  
   
   
       4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein enabling a user to enter comments about a hardcopy document comprises enabling the user to enter a summary in a description filed of the hardcopy document record, and enabling the user to enter other comments in a notes field of the hardcopy document record.  
   
   
       5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein an item is associated with a category.  
   
   
       6 . The method of  claim 5 , further comprising: 
 enabling the user to designate categories in the database as shared or not shared;    making Internet link records, electronic file records, and hardcopy document records associated with the shared categories accessible to other users that use the database; and    making Internet link records, electronic file records, and hardcopy document records associated with the items that are associated with the shared categories accessible to other users that use the database.    
   
   
       7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein a category can be associated with another category.  
   
   
       8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein an item can be associated with one or more categories.  
   
   
       9 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising enabling the user to associate the Internet link record with another category or another item.  
   
   
       10 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising enabling the user to associate the electronic file record with another category or another item.  
   
   
       11 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising enabling the user to associate the hardcopy document record with another category or another item.  
   
   
       12 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein one or more Internet link records, one or more electronic file records, and one or more hardcopy document records can be associated with a same category or a same item.  
   
   
       13 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 enabling the user to designate Internet link records in the database as shared or not shared;    enabling the user to designate electronic file records in the database as shared or not shared;    enabling the user to designate hardcopy document records in the database as shared or not shared; and    making the shared Internet link records, the shared electronic file records, and the shared hardcopy document records available to other users that use the database.    
   
   
       14 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 enabling the user to designate fields of Internet link records in the database as shared or not shared;    enabling the user to designate fields of electronic file records in the database as shared or not shared;    enabling the user to designate fields of hardcopy document records in the database as shared or not shared; and    making the shared Internet link record fields, the shared electronic file record fields, and the shared hardcopy document record fields available to other users that use the database.    
   
   
       15 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 enabling the user to designate items in the database as shared or not shared; and    making Internet link records, electronic file records, and hardcopy document records associated with the shared items accessible to other users that use the database.    
   
   
       16 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising generating a report of at least a portion of the Internet link records, electronic file records, and hardcopy document records stored in the database.  
   
   
       17 . The method of  claim 16 , further comprising printing at least a portion of a web page identified by the stored URL of a Internet link record, and printing the stored entered comments of the Internet link record.  
   
   
       18 . The method of  claim 16 , further comprising printing at least a portion of a file identified by the stored file access path of a electronic file record, and printing the stored entered comments of the electronic file record.  
   
   
       19 . A database that facilitates the organizing and sharing of Internet links, electronic files and hardcopy documents, the database comprising: 
 category records, wherein a category can be a sub-category of another category;    Internet link records storing at least the URL, associated categories and user-entered comments of each of a plurality of Internet links;    electronic file records storing at least the file access path, associated categories and user entered comments of each of a plurality of electronic files; and    hardcopy document records storing at least the location, associated categories and user entered comments of each of a plurality of hardcopy documents,    wherein an Internet link record, an electronic file record, and a hardcopy document record can be associated with a same category.    
   
   
       20 . The database of  claim 19 , wherein each of the category records further stores a shared or not shared designation of the category, wherein Internet link records, electronic file records, and hardcopy document records associated with a not shared category are accessible to the user that created the category, and wherein Internet link records, electronic file records, and hardcopy document records associated with a shared category are accessible to the user that created the category and accessible to other users that use the database.